Clamp for connecting two elements arranged at an angle to each other, in a support structure

ABSTRACT

A clamp for connecting two elements, arranged at an angle to each other, in a support structure, consists of a first jaw and a second jaw hinged to each other at a respective first ends by joint means designed to enable the jaws to be attached to an internal portion of a head of a first element. The opposing jaw ends projecting from the head are shaped to form a clamp for coupling with corresponding retaining seats on the second element. A spreading screw acts on the jaws to move the jaws apart away from each other so that the jaws press on the retaining seats thereby forming a connection between the two elements.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a clamp for connecting two elements, arranged at angles to each other, in a support structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Document TO2002A001042 describes a system for constructing mobile partition wall panels. This system has a clamp, for coupling two components of a partition wall (for example, an upright and a cross beam), consisting of two jaws, inserted inside one of the two components; the clamps have teeth at one end which are inserted in two lengthways grooves of an upright or a cross beam and which clamp into the corresponding radial ribbing defining the walls of the grooves.

Between the two end teeth the clamp also has a front tooth which is inserted into another lengthways groove extending between the two lengthways grooves cited previously.

The clamp has means for adjusting the clamping force of the end teeth; the action of the adjusting means moves the teeth towards each other thus clamping a portion of the wall grooves between the teeth.

The clamp also has locking means which in addition to acting as a joint between the two jaws, keeps the clamp in position inside the upright or the cross beam.

The patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,786 describes a tensioner, inserted inside a cross beam, consisting of two wings which are parallel to each other and which have an additional fixing element located between the two wings. The ends of the wings and the fixing element are inserted inside corresponding grooves inside the upright. Screw means act on the fixing element and the wings so that the wing ends move towards each other and engage with the wall of the corresponding grooves and thus create a coupling between the cross beam and the upright.

Document EP 0.594.872 describes a clamp for connecting the upright and the cross beam of a modular structure. This clamp has two wings partially inserted inside the cross beam so that the wing ends project from the head of the cross beam. Screw means acting on the wings move the wings towards each other and thus enable the wing ends to engage with the walls of the grooves in the upright.

Publication DE 2504476 describes a first profile in which a clamping element is inserted; this clamping element consists of a fixed, U-shaped element with a first operating end which receives a pivoting element with a second operating end.

Adjuster screw means act on both the elements and the first profile to move the second operating end away from the first operating end thereby coupling the ends to a second profile and thus defining a connection between the second and the first profiles. (The combination of the two elements cited and the screw means together define a lever of the first type).

With the exception of DE 2504476, the documents cited above describe systems for constructing modular structures where the connection between a first and a second element of the structure consists of a type of clamp connected to the first element and having at one end three fixing means which engage with corresponding grooves made on the second element. Clamping is performed by the fixing means engaging with a portion of the wall defining the groove.

DE 2504476, on the other hand, describes a system for the connection between a first and a second element of a modular structure provided with a clamp, partially inserted inside the first element, fitted with spreading components which move one end of the clamp away from the other thereby coupling the ends with the corresponding anchoring means on the second element. In this case, unlike the cases described in the other documents, the connection between the two elements is performed by moving the clamp ends apart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a clamp which guarantees a strong, efficient connection between the two elements of a support structure, positioned at an angle to each other.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a clamp which is easy to assemble and clamp to an element of the support structure where the clamp is partially inserted.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a clamp for connecting two elements of the structure, irrespective of the profiles of the elements.

Additionally the invention provides a clamp which has a small number of components, has a simple, very functional design, is reliable and low-cost.

The above mentioned objects are achieved, in accordance with the invention, by a clamp for connecting two elements, arranged at an angle to each other, in a support structure, including:

a first jaw and a second jaw hinged to each other at a respective first ends by joint means enabling the jaws to be attached inside a head of a first element, with remaining opposing jaw ends, projecting from the head, are shaped to form clamping means for coupling with corresponding retaining means in a second element;

spreading means acting on the jaws for moving the clamping means apart from each other so that the clamping means press on the retaining means thus connecting the elements together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention are outlined below in a description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment and two variants; the description is made having reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show plan and side views respectively of the proposed clamp;

FIG. 3 shows an exploded, perspective view of the clamp;

FIG. 4 shows an exploded, perspective view of the clamp assembled with its associated element; this figure is at a smaller scale than the previous figures;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show partial cross sections of the plan view and side view respectively of the clamp assembled with its associated element; this figure is at a larger scale than the previous figures;

FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a first variant of the proposed clamp with its associated element and with alternative geometry;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a second variant of the clamp with some parts removed in order to enable a clearer view of others;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the second variant of the proposed clamp assembled with its associated elements and with the same geometry as that shown in the previous figure and where one of the elements has special means for locking the element to the clamp;

FIG. 10 is a front view of the profile of the element shown in the previous figure with fittings for receiving the clamp.

DISCLOSURE OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, reference numeral 100 indicates the proposed clamp for connecting the upright M to the beam T of a support structure. The description which follows refers to a preferred method of assembly where the upright M and the beam T are perpendicular once they are connected together.

The clamp 100 is shaped so as to enable its insertion inside the beam T and comprises a first jaw 1A and a second jaw 1B hinged to each other at their respective first ends (11A, 11B) by joint means 13 designed to enable the jaws (1A, 1B) to be attached to the internal portion of a head of the beam T.

The joint means 13 consist of a pin 65 whose upper and lower ends engage with slots 49 only one of which is visible in FIG. 4, where the slots are made in the upper and lower walls of the beam T.

At the opposing jaw ends (12A, 12B) projecting from the beam head, the jaws (1A, 1B) have lips (10A, 10B) whose shape matches that of the respective retaining means 3 made in the upright M.

In a preferred embodiment of the geometry, the upright M (see FIGS. 5 and 6) has retaining components 3 consisting of a groove with a trapezoidal (dovetail) cross section made on each of the four identical walls of the upright M.

There are components 2 for moving the jaws (1A, 1B) apart consisting of a grub screw, engaging with a threaded, passing hole 9 in the second jaw 1B where one of the grub screw heads stops against a portion 77 of the face of the first jaw 1A facing the second jaw 1B while the opposite grub screw head can be accessed from the outside through a corresponding window 5 made in the side wall of the first element T (FIG. 4).

Elastic means 8 of a known type (for example, a spring) located between the jaws (1A, 1B) prevent the jaws moving towards each other.

The method for assembling the proposed clamp is briefly described below.

The jaws (1A, 1B) are pre-assembled with a temporary hinge pin (not shown) and subject to the action of the grub screw 2 and the spring 8 which keep the jaws apart.

The clamp 100 is inserted along the beam axis starting from the head of the beam T so that the ends of the temporary pin are positioned at the slots 49 made in the upper and lower walls of the beam T.

The permanent joint pin 65 is inserted in one of these slots 49 thus displacing the temporary pin which disengages from the clamp and is pushed out of the beam through the slot on the opposite side. The permanent joint pin 65 is long enough to engage with both surfaces of the slots 49; this prevents the clamp 100 from sliding out of the beam T. This arrangement means that the lips (10A, 10B) of the jaws (1A, 1B) protrude from the beam T so that they can engage with the trapezoidal-shaped groove 3 in the upright M (FIG. 5).

Turning the grub screw 2, accessed through the window 5, moves the jaws (1A, 1B) apart from each other so that they press from the inside towards the outside on the upright M. The resulting pressure of the lips (10A, 10B) on the opposing surfaces 3A of the groove 3 causes the two elements (M, T) to be coupled to each other.

In FIG. 7, the clamp 100 connects an upright M1 and a beam T1 which are the same as each other but which have a different, alternative geometrical shape in comparison with the components illustrated in the previous figures.

The cross-section of these elements (M1, T1) is defined by a central portion 60, substantially rectangular in shape, whose outside walls have paired identical seats, the main seats (31, 32) and the secondary seats (33, 34) which can be accessed from the outside. More precisely, the seats made in opposite walls are the same as each other and symmetrical with respect to first longitudinal plane A and the second longitudinal plane B of the central portion 60.

Each of the main seats (31, 32) is defined by the respective external wall of the central portion 60 parallel to the first longitudinal plane A and a first pair of projections 92 which extend outwards from the central portion 60 and which are bent towards each other.

Each secondary seat (33, 34) is defined by the respective external wall of the central portion 60, parallel to the second longitudinal plane B and a pair of parallel wings 33A which extend outwards from the central portion 60 and which are rounded at their free ends.

The central part of the head of the beam T1 has a recess 99 defining, in the head, upper and lower projections 98 which, given the depth of the recess 99 when the upright M1 and beam T1 are coupled together, stop against the external wall of a wing of the related pair of wings 33A of the upright M1 and cover the external walls of the projections 92 thus defining the main seats (31, 32) of the upright M1. When the upright M1 and the beam T1 are coupled together, the internal part of the recess 99 stops against the external part of the corresponding projection 92 thus defining the main seats (31, 32) of the upright M1.

The clamp lips are shaped so as to facilitate engagement inside one of the main seats (31, 32).

The FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate a second embodiment of the clamp 100 which connects an upright M and a beam T where the upright and beam are of the same type and have a geometry similar to that shown in FIG. 7.

The clamp 100 consists of a first jaw 100A and a second jaw 100B made as a single piece from, for example, an elastic metal sheet, and fixed at their common single end 110 to the internal portion of the head of the beam T. More precisely, the clamp 100, once it has been positioned inside the beam T, is fixed to the internal portion of the beam by a plurality of pairs of protuberances 74, made according to known methods and projecting from the outside to the inside on the side wall of the central portion 60. Each pair of protuberances 74 engages with a portion of the thickness of the common end 110 of the two jaws (100A, 100B) (FIG. 9).

At the ends (12A, 12B) projecting from the head, each jaw (100A, 100B) has a lip (190A, 190B) shaped to match the shape of the retaining means 300 made in the upright M.

As explained previously, there are means 200 for moving the jaws (100A, 100B) apart, these means consisting of a grub screw engaging with a threaded passing hole 900 made in the second jaw 100B, where one of the grub screw heads stops against a portion of the face of the first jaw 100A facing the second jaw 100B while the opposite grub screw head can be accessed from the outside through a corresponding window 500 made in the side wall of the first element T. Turning the grub screw 200 moves the jaws (190A, 190B) apart from each other so that they apply pressure on the wall defining the retaining means 300 and thus hook the beam T and the upright M to each other.

Advantages of the proposed clamp are that it is easy to assemble and use and provides a strong, efficient connection between the upright and the beam.

It should be emphasised that the pressure exerted by the clamp lips on the corresponding grooves ensures a secure, easy connection to the upright.

The foregoing explains how the shape of the clamp enables a connection between the upright and the beam irrespective of the profile shape of these elements.

It should be added that the clamp described above, thanks to its shape and thanks to that fact that the jaws move apart in order to connect the two elements, enables the connection between the two elements to be hidden; this is an advantage in comparison with other systems using clamps exerting a gripping action and which therefore require a cover to maintain a pleasing appearance at the joint between the two elements and to hide the connection area from view.

The present invention described with reference to the enclosed drawings is provided as a non-limiting example only. Clearly, the invention can be subject to modifications and variations which fall within the scope of the claims below. 

1. A clamp for connecting two elements, arranged at an angle to each other, in a support structure, including: a first jaw and a second jaw hinged to each other at a respective first ends by joint means enabling the jaws to be attached inside a head of a first element, with remaining opposing jaw ends, projecting from the head, are shaped to form clamping means for coupling with corresponding retaining means in a second element; spreading means acting on the jaws for moving the clamping means apart from each other so that the clamping means press on the retaining means thus connecting the elements together.
 2. A clamp for connecting two elements, arranged at an angle to each other, in a support structure, including: a first jaw and a second jaw joined to each other at a common end fixed to an internal portion of a head of a first element and forming at ends projecting from the head, clamping means for engaging with corresponding retaining means made in the second element; spreading means acting on the jaws for moving the clamping means apart from each other so that the clamping means press on the retaining means thus connecting the elements together.
 3. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the joint means include a pin inserted in first and second slots made respectively in the upper and lower walls of the first element and designed to prevent the clamp from sliding out of the first element.
 4. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the retaining means are shaped to match the shape of the of the clamping means.
 5. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the first element and the second element consist of profile sections with a quadrangular profile, the retaining means include grooves with a trapezoidal cross-section made on outer side surfaces of the elements and the clamping means are shaped to match the shape of the grooves.
 6. A clamp according to claim 1 wherein the first element and the second element include alike profile sections and each profile section is defined by a substantially rectangular central portion having alike paired identical seats made in outside walls, namely main seats and secondary seats; each of the main seats being defined by a respective external wall of the central portion and a pair of projections extending outwards and bent towards each other, whereas each of the secondary seats is defined by a respective external wall of the central portion and a pair of wings extending outwards from the central portion of the head of the first element which in turn has a recess at the head defining upper and lower projections for abutment against external walls of corresponding wings of said wings of the second element and cover external walls of the projections defining the main seats of the second element, with the internal part of the recess acting, once the first and second elements are coupled together, as a stop for the external part of the projection of the second element; said retaining means being formed by the main seats of said second element, and with the clamping means shaped to match the shape of the main seats.
 7. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the clamping means consist of the same number of lips with a concave shape facing outwards.
 8. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein elastic means are positioned between the jaws for opposing the jaws moving towards each other.
 9. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the spreading means consist of a grub screw coupled to the second jaw, with one head of the grub screw stopping against a portion of a face of the first jaw facing the second jaw; the grub screw being accessible through a window made in one of the side walls of the first element.
 10. A clamp according to claim 9, wherein the grub screw engages with a threaded, passing hole in the second jaw.
 11. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the elements are at a right angle to each other.
 12. A clamp according to claim 2, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are made as a single component.
 13. A clamp according to claim 12, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are made starting from a folded, elastic, metal sheet.
 14. A clamp according to claim 2, wherein said common end is fixed to an internal portion of the first element by means of at least one pair of protuberances made in the opposing side walls of the first element. 